Saturday, January 2, 2016

2015...Round-up and Reflection

As I look back I can now appreciate the year has ended on a decidedly good note. My family is blessed to have their health (not without a few scares) and we have many things to look forward to in the coming year! I am also to be grateful to be back to blogging after what may be about an 8 months absence. For those few of you that still read my blog, thank you so very much!

Every day with fur children is to be treasured- Some of my close friends know that shortly after celebrating Zoey's fourth Birthday, we were overwhelmed with some concerning health related news regarding her liver values. Over the following months we had ultrasounds, blood-work, consults and referrals to various people to help us solve the mystery. Despite these concerning findings, Zoey remained her usual happy self and we eventually found a helpful holistic vet and some dietary changes that seemed to have stabilized things. She may always have high values, but with a close watch and focusing on what we can control we hope to have many years left to come. That being said, we know many friends that lost their fur children, and many tears were shed this year.

Security and stability are never permanent- I learned the hard way this year that sometimes changes occur that you did not ask for and never anticipated. Job security and stability can change in a heartbeat and although I am very fortunate to be gainfully employed, many things were up in the air for a time. Control over all things in life is an illusion we can't buy into, and sometimes life dictates a backup plan.

Reaching the final goal is both surreal and fantastic- Some of you may not know, but I am a terrible procrastinator. Sometimes it has worked out perfectly as I thrive under pressure, however other times it has kicked me in the rump. This year it was a bit of both, but I finally reached my end goal of licensure in my profession and it feels great! I apologize to friends and family for my "hermit-like" existence for the past couple years and look forward to re-establishing connections and making new friends.

When the going gets tough, I am so glad I have my rock- Although I am a fantastic fan of self actualization and independence, when the going got tough, I am so grateful to have had the support from my long time friend and partner. He was never there to judge and provided me the unconditional positive regard in which to persevere and thrive. In fact, it allowed me to relinquish my last wall and I am happy to share we are planning a wedding next year!

Introverts need friends too- Zoey is the only extrovert in this family. She thrives on socialization and get together's and loves to be the center of attention. I however, completely revert to my true introversion when the going gets tough and I am sad to admit I went MIA to a point some friends became worried either Zoey or I had suffered a misfortune. Thus my extended absence from the blog and social groups with other paw lovers. That being said, I am making it a personal goal next year to get outside my comfort zone and make more friends both professionally, socially, and re-connect with family.

The year really turned around in the past several months and we were blessed to do some traveling. We visited Leavenworth, WA and stayed at the most charming cabin and had a wonderful weekend. We then were able to travel back to Southern California where Zoey and I spent some wonderful days sightseeing our favorite dog friendly places (hello Fashion Island, I am looking at you), and reconnecting with some family and friends. Look for a future blog post on some great dog friendly places in SoCal that are worth a visit.

Finally, the direction of this blog has become more Fashion and travel than just Zoey and may be due for a re-vamp this next year. My fashion choices got more daring and I look forward to sharing more in the coming year and perhaps further nourishing my blogging/fashion interests with collaborations and more reviews.